God Sustains Underdogs

Our God is a God of Steadfast Love and Faithfulness. This assurance permeates scripture. See Exodus 34:6-7; Number 14:18; Psalm 103:4, 8, 11; Nehemiah 9:16-17. We human beings often feel we can never overcome our problems, our enemies, our failures, our opponents, our rivals. But God has demonstrated through history that God sustains us through difficult, even impossible, situations. Here are only a few examples. 1. During the reign of Saul, the first king of Israel, the Philistines constantly overcame the Israelites and moved deep into the land of Canaan. On one occasion, Jonathan, the son of Saul, took his armorbearer and went up against the garrison of the Philistines at Michmash. Jonathan said to his armorbearer: "Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncirumcised; it may be that the Lord will act for us; FOR NOTHING CAN HINDER THE LORD FROM SAVING BY MANY OR BY FEW." 1 Samuel 14:6. Against all odds, God sustained Jonathan and his armorbearer and defeated the Philistines. 2. The king of Aram [Syria] brought his horses and chariots and a great army to surround the town of Dothan in North Israel to defeat the Israelites and kill Elisha. Elisha's servant said to Elisha: "Alas, master! What shall we do?" Elisha responded: "Do not be afraid; for there are more with us than there are with them." Then Elisha prayed to Yahweh, and Yahweh showed Elisha and his servant that the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around them. 2 Kings 6:15-17. When we feel like we are paralyzed by our problems, our opponents, our failures, we must considered that God surrounds us, God's angels surround us, and God will sustain us in difficult times. 3. When the Assyrians threatened Judah in the days of Hezekiah, the prophet Isaiah encouraged the underdogs: "Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and who rely on horses, who trust in chariots because they are many and in horsement because they are very strong, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel, or consult the Lord! . . . The Egyptians are human, and not God; their horses are flesh, and not spirit. When the Lord stretches out his hand, the helper will stumble, and the one helped will fall, and they will all perish together." (Isaiah 31:1, 3). God's true, faithful followers through Jesus Christ are always the undergods. It LOOKS LIKE the powerful, the influential, the leaders will prevail. But in reality, God alone is in control, and he sustains the underdog. Share YOUR failures and needs and concepts and insights with others. Let me hear from you. John Willis